Injuries and the 2013 Seahawks: The key missing pieces

2013 Seahawks: The missing pieces
Yes, Sunday's loss in Indianapolis was a disappointing end to the Seahawks' four-game season-opening streak. But Seattle started 4-0 for the first time in franchise history, are still sitting pretty at 4-1, have a lead in the NFC West, remain unbeaten at home, and have one of the most talented teams in the league. It's an impressive start to the 2013 campaign, and the Seahawks have gotten it done while missing a lot of key players.
Now that the Seahawks have gotten the undefeated monkey off their backs, we thought it would be a good time to go over the team's injury situation and how it has affected the season so far. The Seahawks are far from invincible, but as we saw in their wild comeback over Houston, they are able to pull the pieces together and still win without their No. 1's. It's a testament to the locker room culture Pete Carroll has instilled in Seattle, and the team's determination to overcome adversity and keep marching down the road to the Super Bowl.
Click through the gallery to see whose absences the Seahawks have had to deal with so far, when and if they're likely to return, and what their impact could be on Seattle's still-young 2013 season. less

2013 Seahawks: The missing pieces
Yes, Sunday's loss in Indianapolis was a disappointing end to the Seahawks' four-game season-opening streak. But Seattle started 4-0 for the first time in franchise ... more

Photo: Scott Halleran / Getty Images

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Russell Okung -- left tackle
Perhaps the worst player on offense to go out, other than Russell Wilson himself, would be Pro-Bowl left tackle Russell Okung. He protects Wilson's blind side, he stops opponents' pass-rushes and he opens running lanes for Marshawn Lynch. But he left the 49ers game Sept. 15 with an injured toe and has since been placed on the injured reserve with a torn ligament. By rule, he is not able to return for five more weeks.
To plug the hole, the Seahawks moved left guard Paul McQuistan over to left tackle -- and he hasn't performed particularly well. In his four games playing at LT, McQuistan has struggled in both pass and run protection, rating particularly low in pass blocking. He hasn't improved much, either, allowing three quarterback hurries in each of his first three games at tackle, then four against Houston and a whopping six in Indianapolis last Sunday. McQuistan's replacement at left guard, James Carpenter, has also performed underwhelmingly.
If Okung can return this season -- and he can't by rule until Week 11 -- it would be a big relief for Wilson and the Seahawks, who have been getting by with a patchwork offensive line the past several weeks. And it's not just the absence of Okung that has been causing the O-line problems .... less

Russell Okung -- left tackle
Perhaps the worst player on offense to go out, other than Russell Wilson himself, would be Pro-Bowl left tackle Russell Okung. He protects Wilson's blind side, he stops ... more

Photo: Joe Robbins / Getty Images

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Max Unger -- center
All-Pro center Max Unger has also missed two games this season. After injuring his arm during the Jacksonville game Sept. 22 in Seattle, Unger sat out the victory in Houston and the close loss in Indianapolis last week. His presence was sorely missed.
Backup center Lemuel Jeanpierre has done an alright job in Unger's place. He performed decently in both pass and run protection against Houston on Sept. 29, though he did cause a false start when everyone on the O-line moved but he didn't snap the ball. Last week in Indianapolis, Jeanpierre started again but didn't do as well, struggling in both passing and running situations, and allowing four quarterback hurries.
Unger returned to practice this week and is expected to play against the Titans on Sunday at the CLink. His return should bolster Seattle's offensive line in a much-needed way after two weeks on the bench. less

Max Unger -- center
All-Pro center Max Unger has also missed two games this season. After injuring his arm during the Jacksonville game Sept. 22 in Seattle, Unger sat out the victory in Houston and the ... more

Photo: Steve Dykes / Getty Images

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Breno Giacomini -- right tackle
Still delegated to watch from the sidelines, however, is right tackle Breno Giacomini. Like Unger, he was injured during the Jacksonville game -- a knee problem -- and missed both the games in Houston and Indianapolis. While he is an average lineman and seems to be a penalty-magnet, Giacomini's absence from Seattle's offensive line has been an obvious factor in the Seahawks' struggles the past two weeks.
Rookie draftee Michael Bowie started at right tackle against the Texans and Colts, and while he has shown promise he has also played like a rookie. That said, he improved dramatically from one start to the next -- after a poor performance in Houston in both pass and run blocking, he turned things around in Indianapolis with good marks in both areas.
Giacomini underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Sept. 30 to remove "loose bodies" from his knee, and was expected to miss two to four weeks. We'll see how quickly he can return to the field. less

Breno Giacomini -- right tackle
Still delegated to watch from the sidelines, however, is right tackle Breno Giacomini. Like Unger, he was injured during the Jacksonville game -- a knee problem -- and missed ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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New addition: 10:30 a.m., Oct. 10Bobby Wagner -- middle linebacker
Last year's runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year, linebacker Bobby Wagner emerged from last Sunday's contest against the Colts with a high ankle sprain. And while he finished out the game in Indianapolis, he was on crutches Wednesday at Seahawks practice.
"Bobby sprained his ankle and he's not doing anything yet," coach Pete Carroll said. "He thinks he can make it by game time. Again, this will go all the way to Sunday."
Not a good sign for the Hawks as they prepare to face the Titans this Sunday at CenturyLink Field. Wagner calls the shots on defense and is Seattle's second-leading tackler with 16 (tied with safety Kam Chancellor and trailing safety Earl Thomas at 31). The Seahawks have depth in the linebacking corps, but Wagner is a big piece of Seattle's famous defense. less

New addition: 10:30 a.m., Oct. 10Bobby Wagner -- middle linebacker
Last year's runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year, linebacker Bobby Wagner emerged from last Sunday's contest against the Colts ... more

Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images

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Bruce Irvin -- linebacker
Last season, after the Seahawks took a lot of national criticism for selecting him 15th-overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, Bruce Irvin wound up leading all rookies in the league with eight sacks. How about them apples?
But Irvin began the 2013 season on a four-game NFL suspension after allegedly testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. It was a big slip-up for the 25-year-old pass-rusher, especially since he's transitioning from his role last year as a LEO (a blitzing hybrid of defensive end and linebacker) to a SAM, or strongside, linebacker in 2013.
The Seahawks actually got along fine without him in their first four games -- winning them all, of course, but also putting good pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. DE Michael Bennett turned into a genius offseason acquisition, and once DEs Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons returned to the field, Seattle had even more blitzing firepower. However, Irvin loudly announced his return last Sunday with a sack, two QB hurries and four tackles against the Colts. less

Bruce Irvin -- linebacker
Last season, after the Seahawks took a lot of national criticism for selecting him 15th-overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, Bruce Irvin wound up leading all rookies in the league with ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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Chris Clemons -- defensive end
Defensive end Chris Clemons led the Seahawks with 11.5 sacks as the team's best pass-rusher last year, but went down with a knee injury during the Redskins playoff game in December. He was sorely missed the next week against Atlanta in the divisional playoffs, which the Seahawks nearly won with a wild fourth-quarter comeback.
Clemons had surgery on a torn ACL and took the summer to rehabilitate. In the meantime, to fill the hole vacated by Clemons and suspended Bruce Irvin, the Seahawks signed two more prolific pass-rushers, DEs Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Yet Clemons missed only the first two games of 2013, and has returned to old form. In three games now, he has two sacks, three QB hits, five tackles and 10 quarterback hurries. less

Chris Clemons -- defensive end
Defensive end Chris Clemons led the Seahawks with 11.5 sacks as the team's best pass-rusher last year, but went down with a knee injury during the Redskins playoff game in ... more

Photo: Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery / Getty Images

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Cliff Avril -- defensive end
Signed as a free agent in the offseason away from his old Detroit Lions, defensive end Cliff Avril was one of Seattle's two blockbuster signings along with receiver Percy Harvin. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, along with Harvin, Avril also got injured before the preseason could begin.
Avril took a few weeks to recover from his hamstring injury, and made his Seahawks debut in Week 2 against the 49ers at CenturyLink Field. In that first game back, he had a sack on S.F. QB Colin Kaepernick and was also credited with three quarterback hurries. Now through four games, Avril has two sacks, three QB hits and nine hurries. less

Cliff Avril -- defensive end
Signed as a free agent in the offseason away from his old Detroit Lions, defensive end Cliff Avril was one of Seattle's two blockbuster signings along with receiver Percy ... more

Photo: Patric Schneider / Associated Press

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Zach Miller -- tight end
He was Russell Wilson's favorite target by the end of last season, but tight end Zach Miller hasn't made a ton of noise yet in 2013. Through the four games he's played this year, Miller has just eight receptions for 76 yards -- the fewest of Seattle's starting receivers. In fact, he has just one more reception and has fewer yards than his backup, rookie Luke Willson.
Yet Miller's absence was apparent last Sunday against the Colts, which he sat out of with a hamstring issue. Willson made several nice plays but also dropped a key pass, and third-stringer Kellen Davis continued to make a case for his likely future release. Miller didn't practice on Wednesday, so it's up in the air whether he'll take the field this Sunday against the Titans. less

Zach Miller -- tight end
He was Russell Wilson's favorite target by the end of last season, but tight end Zach Miller hasn't made a ton of noise yet in 2013. Through the four games he's played this year, ... more

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

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Anthony McCoy -- tight end
Seahawks fans might have forgotten that tight end Anthony McCoy is still on the roster. He's on the injured reserve after undergoing Achilles surgery in the offseason and is not slated to return to the field in 2013.
The Seahawks likely thought they had covered McCoy's absence when they drafted Luke Willson in the fifth round of April's draft, especially since they also had Sean McGrath, Cooper Helfet, Andrei Lintz and Darren Fells competing for roster spots.
But now that those guys are gone and just Miller and Willson remain, the Seahawks likely wish McCoy weren't down for the count. Especially now that McGrath is tearing it up in Kansas City (15 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown), and now that all the Seahawks have for depth at tight end is third-stringer Kellen Davis. less

Anthony McCoy -- tight end
Seahawks fans might have forgotten that tight end Anthony McCoy is still on the roster. He's on the injured reserve after undergoing Achilles surgery in the offseason and is not ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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Brandon Browner -- cornerback
One of the four members of Seattle's "Legion of Boom" secondary, cornerback Brandon Browner missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury. The Seahawks performed well enough against Carolina and San Francisco without Browner, winning both contests, but he left a sizable hole in Seattle's pass coverage.
Nickleback Walter Thurmond and second-stringer Jeremy Lane filled in for Browner, and proved they indeed deserve roster spots in Seattle, but it's hard to replace Browner. Though he may have made some mistakes (including a pass-interference penalty and some soft coverage) against the Colts, Browner is needed in the "Legion of Boom." less

Brandon Browner -- cornerback
One of the four members of Seattle's "Legion of Boom" secondary, cornerback Brandon Browner missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury. The Seahawks ... more

Photo: Ted S. Warren / Associated Press

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Jeremy Lane -- cornerback/special teams
He may not be a starter, but cornerback Jeremy Lane brings a lot to the field. He is one of the Seahawks' best players on special teams, and always seems to be at the right place at the right time. A week ago, Sports Illustrated's Andy Benoit named Lane to his "quarter-way All-Pro team" as the special teams honoree.
Yet Lane injured his hamstring and didn't play in last Sunday's contest against the Colts -- a game that featured game-changing plays on special teams. It's impossible to know how much of a difference Lane might have made, but the Seahawks surely would have preferred to have him in there on kickoffs, punts and returns. Lane is still milking his hamstring and did not practice Wednesday. less

Jeremy Lane -- cornerback/special teams
He may not be a starter, but cornerback Jeremy Lane brings a lot to the field. He is one of the Seahawks' best players on special teams, and always seems to be at the ... more

Photo: Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images

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Jordan Hill -- defensive tackle
Rookie defensive tackle Jordan Hill is not a key piece of Seattle's football team, but he is a piece nonetheless and could be an integral member of the Seahawks down the line. After missing the first four weeks with a biceps issue, Hill finally made his NFL debut last Sunday against the Colts. He played mainly on running downs and performed relatively well, notching one quarterback hurry, two stops and three tackles. less

Jordan Hill -- defensive tackle
Rookie defensive tackle Jordan Hill is not a key piece of Seattle's football team, but he is a piece nonetheless and could be an integral member of the Seahawks down the ... more

Photo: Jonathan Moore / Getty Images

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Malcolm Smith -- linebacker
Providing depth among Seattle's linebacking corps is Malcolm Smith, now in his third year with the Seahawks. He plays about half of Seattle's defensive snaps and is adept at tracking down ball-carriers. Smith missed Week 3 against Jacksonville with a sore hamstring, and has remained on the injury list since then though he has continued to play. With a young group of linebackers that has been targeted by opposing quarterbacks as a weakness this season, the Seahawks need all the play they can get out of Smith. less

Malcolm Smith -- linebacker
Providing depth among Seattle's linebacking corps is Malcolm Smith, now in his third year with the Seahawks. He plays about half of Seattle's defensive snaps and is adept at ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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Jeron Johnson -- strong safety/special teams
With Kam Chancellor starting at strong safety, backup Jeron Johnson wouldn't get a lot of defensive snaps anyway. But he does contribute on special teams -- though not much so far this year. Johnson's hamstring has been giving him issues all season and he didn't get playing time until this past Sunday in Indianapolis. Considering how tired the Seahawks defenders looked late in the Colts game, the depth Johnson provides to the secondary could be a godsend for the Seahawks as they work through their schedule. less

Jeron Johnson -- strong safety/special teams
With Kam Chancellor starting at strong safety, backup Jeron Johnson wouldn't get a lot of defensive snaps anyway. But he does contribute on special teams -- ... more

Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images

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Michael Bowie -- offensive tackle
We've already mentioned rookie Michael Bowie, who has been starting in place of Breno Giacomini at right tackle while Giacomini recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. But Bowie himself wasn't able to play until Week 3, when the Seahawks destroyed Jacksonville at the CLink. He started the season with a shoulder injury that kept him out of the first two games. less

Michael Bowie -- offensive tackle
We've already mentioned rookie Michael Bowie, who has been starting in place of Breno Giacomini at right tackle while Giacomini recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. But ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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Jesse Williams -- defensive tackle
Many people thought that if they had to choose the rookie who could contribute the most to the Seahawks this season, it would be defensive tackle Jesse Williams. The big Australian -- or "Monstar," as he is known -- comes highly regarded as a physical and commanding presence on an defense line, and the Seahawks were hoping he would contribute. Of course Williams is a rookie and his skillset is largely unknown, but now that he's out for the season Seahawks fans will have to wait another year to see him on the field. less

Jesse Williams -- defensive tackle
Many people thought that if they had to choose the rookie who could contribute the most to the Seahawks this season, it would be defensive tackle Jesse Williams. The big ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

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Sidney Rice - wide receiver
Why are we including Sidney Rice on this list? After all, he hasn't missed any games this season. But his productivity has seemingly declined since 2012, and his knee problems may have something to do with it.
Rice missed the entire preseason and even took a trip to Switzerland for a nonsurgical procedure on his knee. Now, through three games, he has 10 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns -- not bad, but not exactly what the Seahawks might want from one of the highest-paid receivers in the game. less

Sidney Rice - wide receiver
Why are we including Sidney Rice on this list? After all, he hasn't missed any games this season. But his productivity has seemingly declined since 2012, and his knee problems ... more

Photo: Harry How / Getty Images

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Percy Harvin -- wide receiver
The final missing piece in our list: Percy Harvin, with a bang. The Seahawks made a lot of noise in the offseason when they traded their first-round 2013 draft pick to the Vikings in exchange for Harvin, who was a candidate for MVP last season before going down with an ankle injury (which he suffered against the Seahawks, for what it's worth). Despite his questionable injury history, he was expected to add a dynamic element to Seattle's offense as a triple-threat receiver, rusher and kick-returner.
That hasn't happened yet, because Harvin showed up injured to the first day of training camp in July. He had a hip injury, we soon learned, and he ended up choosing to get surgery. Now on the injured reserve, by rule Harvin is eligible to return for Week 7 but may not be ready by then.
After all, that's just a week away; Sunday's Titans game is Seattle's Week 6 matchup. But Harvin did start running this past weekend, coach Pete Carroll said, and has returned to Seattle. Harvin has been working out with his teammates, though not in practice, and is working on making his Seahawks debut as soon as possible. less

Percy Harvin -- wide receiver
The final missing piece in our list: Percy Harvin, with a bang. The Seahawks made a lot of noise in the offseason when they traded their first-round 2013 draft pick to the ... more

Photo: Elaine Thompson / Associated Press

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Injuries and the 2013 Seahawks: The key missing pieces

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